Identification

Bear 128 “Grazer” is a large adult female with blond fur, a long straight muzzle, and conspicuously large blond ears. During late summer and fall, her fur is grizzled brown and she is often one of the fattest bears to utilize Brooks River.

Life History

Grazer was introduced to Brooks River as a young cub in 2005. Since then, she’s become one bearcam’s most recognizable bears. She can fish successfully in many locations, but in early summer she prefers the lip of Brooks Falls where she’s an especially skilled angler. In early fall, Grazer is more cryptic and most often chooses to fish in areas of the river away from the bearcams.

Grazer is one of the most defensive mother bears at Brooks River. She often preemptively confronts and attacks much larger bears, including some of the river’s most dominant adult males, in order to ensure her cubs are safe. Her defensiveness is risky, yet provides her with access to areas of Brooks Falls that many other mother bears won’t approach. During 2020 she’s raising two spring cubs who benefit from their mother’s boldness in the face of danger and competition.